from The Anime Chef Cookbook
ANIME ★ SCHOOL BABYSITTERS SEASON 1 | EPISODE 2
When Ryuu takes the toddlers from the daycare on a field trip to the zoo, they enjoy a bento. Bentos (lunch boxes) are common in Japan and can be comprised of lots of different foods for adults and children. The bento I made here is inspired by the toddlers in the anime and includes kawaii elements and easy-to-eat handheld foods.
YIELD: 2 Bentos
PREP: 15 minutes
MARINATE: 2+ hours
COOK: 25 minutes
DECORATE: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
OCTOPUS HOT DOGS WITH SCRAMBLED EGGS
6 cocktail wieners (or 3 small hot dogs, cut in half horizontally)
1 tablespoon oil, divided, for cooking
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and black pepper, to taste
SHIBA INU ONIGIRI
3 cups (522 g) freshly cooked, warm Japanese short-grain rice
Ketchup
1 nori sheet (roasted seaweed)
2 uncooked rice kernels
PIG ONIGIRI
3 cups (522 g) freshly cooked, warm Japanese short-grain rice
Ketchup
1 slice ham
1 nori sheet (roasted seaweed)
1 slice white cheddar cheese
MINI MEATBALLS
¼ recipe Mystery Hamburg Steak (ground beef, onion, garlic, paprika, salt) – see page 92
½ tablespoon oil, for cooking
Ketchup
2 leaves lettuce
KARAAGE
½ recipe Karaage To-Go (page 36) – chicken thighs tossed in a soy-ginger sauce
2 leaves lettuce
4 cherry tomatoes
Directions:
1 To make the octopus hotdogs with scrambled eggs: Slice half of each hot dog lengthwise three times to make 8 legs. In a medium skillet, heat ½ tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the hot dogs and panfry for 5 minutes, or until warmed through and the legs have opened. Transfer from the pan to a plate. Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon in the same pan over medium or medium-low heat. Add the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and scramble for 2 minutes, or until desired firmness, stirring every 30 seconds with a spatula. Assemble by topping the scrambled eggs with the hotdogs. For the octopus’ eyes, use kitchen shears to cut out 12 small circles from the nori sheet, then place them on the hotdogs.
2 To make the Shiba Inu onigiri: Add enough ketchup to the cooked short-grain rice to make an orange-pink color. Form a rice ball and ears with your hands. Use kitchen shears to cut out details from the nori sheet: 4 semicircles for the ears, 4 upside-down U shapes for the eyes, 2 oblongs for the nose, and 2 horizontal number-three (3) shapes for the mouth. Stick half of these details onto the onigiri. Lastly, place 2 rice grains for the eyebrows. Repeat the shaping of the onigiri and placing of the details for the second Shiba Inu onigiri.
3 To make pig onigiri: Add enough ketchup to the cooked short-grain rice to make an orange-pink color. Form a rice ball and ears with your hands. Use kitchen shears to cut out details from the ham: 4 triangles with softened corners for the ears and 4 oblongs for the cheek blush. For the nose, overlap 2 pieces of ham to cut out 2 oblongs larger than the blush shapes. Remove the top oblongs, then cut out 2 vertical oblongs in the center of each one for nose holes. Overlap the 2 pieces of ham again, setting the oblongs with the nose holes on top. For the eyes, cut out 4 small circles from the nori sheet. Place half of the ham and nori details on the onigiri. Lastly, for the bows, cut out 4 triangles with softened corners as big as the ham ears and 2 small circles from the cheese. Place 2 triangles, with one of their edges touching on top of the right ham ear, then place a small cheese circle on the center of the bow. Repeat the shaping of the onigiri and placing of the details for the second pig onigiri.
4 To make the mini meatballs: In a medium skillet, heat the ½ tablespoon oil over medium heat, then panfry the 6 mini meatballs until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
5 To assemble: Place a Shiba Inu and pig together in one compartment of each bento. In a separate compartment(s), place 3 meatballs on a lettuce leaf and squirt ketchup on top of the meatballs; 6 octopus hotdogs on top of scrambled eggs; and half of the karaage on a lettuce leaf with a side of 2 cherry tomatoes.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I was moving when it was time to test this recipe and never got there…but it looks like so much fun. Will definitely get the grandkids involved when they visit. So cute!
Contents and images used with permission by Nadine Estero. https://www.instagram.com/issagrill/
